Metro Birmingham forecast: Gray, chilly and damp

It was 39 degrees at 6 a.m. in Birmingham and central Alabama faces a chill, gray day, according to the National Weather Service.

In the forecast, there is a 40 percent chance of afternoon rain today, extending into the evening. The high is expected to reach only 53 degrees, setting up the start to a cold weekend. The overnight low tonight should about freezing with lows Saturday and Sunday of 19 and 24 degrees, respectively.

Saturday's high is projected to be 39 degrees while Sunday may reach 40. Both days should be mostly sunny.

Conditions will start warming slowly Monday, although rain is possible during the day and likely during the night into Tuesday. By Wednesday, daily highs should be back into the 60s.